PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON SPORTS, FITNESS & NUTRITION Annual Meeting

Friday, September 21, 2018 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Room 800 Hubert H. Humphrey Building 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201

1 Agenda Friday, September 21, 2018

9:00 am Kickoff, Roster & Game Rules pg 6 Lauren Darensbourg, Director, Strategic Initiatives, PCSFN

Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

9:07 am Introduction of HHS Secretary pg 7 Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

9:10 am HHS Secretary Address pg 8 Alex M. Azar II, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

9:25 am PCSFN Update pg 9 Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

9:35 am Team Captain Huddle pg 10 Herschel Walker & Co-Chairs, PCSFN

Moderator: Holli Richmond PCSFN Executive Director

9:55 am Meet the Team pg 14 Council Members

10:30 am Halftime: Break pg 17

10:45 am Introduction of Assistant Secretary for Health pg 17 Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN (ASH)

10:48 am ASH Address pg 17 ADM Brett P. Giroir, M.D., Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS

10:55 am Panel: Youth Voices from the Field pg 19 Youth Participants Moderator: Herschel Walker, Co-Chair, PCSFN

11:25 am Time Out: Physical Activity Break pg 21 Youth Participants Chris Henderson, Lead Softball & Coordinator, Youth Baseball Academy

11:40 am Roundtable: Setting the Game Plan pg 22 Council Members Moderator: Shannon Feaster, MS Deputy Executive Director, PCSFN

12: 20 pm National Fitness Foundation Update pg 31 Clay Walker, Executive Director, National Fitness Foundation

12:23 pm Closing Remarks pg 32 Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

12:30 pm Adjourn pg 32 Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

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PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL ON FITNESS, SPORTS & NUTRITION

COUNCIL CO-CHAIRS:

Misty May-Treanor Three-Time Beach Volleyball Olympic Gold Medalist

Mariano Rivera (MLB) Champion

Herschel Walker National Football League (NFL) Player and Entrepreneur

COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Brenda Becker Business Executive and Former Political Strategist

Bill Belichick Five-Time Super Bowl Winning NFL Head

Johnny Damon MLB World Series Champion

Trevor Drinkwater Corporate CEO and Film Producer

Dr. Robert Goldman Physician and Martial Arts Expert

Natalie Gulbis Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Player

Dr. Nan Hayworth Physician and Former Member of Congress

Matthew Hesse Corporate CEO and U.S. Army Veteran

Ashlee Lundvall Former Ms. Wheelchair USA and Outdoor Recreation Enthusiast

Jake Olson University of Southern California Football Player

3 Dr. Mehmet Oz Television Personality and Cardiac Surgeon

Shauna Rohbock Olympic Silver Medalist in Bobsled and U.S. Army National Guard Soldier

Kyle Snyder Olympic Gold Medalist and Two-Time World Champion in Wrestling

Julie Teer Non-Profit Executive and Former Political Strategist

Christopher Tisi Corporate CEO and Entrepreneur

Robert Wilkins Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant

Jim Worthington Corporate Executive and Athletic Club Owner

Linda Yaccarino Corporate Media Executive

PCSFN STAFF:

Holli Richmond Executive Director

Shannon Feaster, M.S. Deputy Executive Director

Ebony Andrews, M.P.H. Director, Sports Initiatives & Manager, Digital Communications

Lauren Darensbourg, M.P.H. Director, Strategic Initiatives

Joey King Acting Director, Communications

Annette Wright, M.B.A. Executive Assistant

Kate Olscamp, M.P.H. Fellow, Health Promotion & Partnerships

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PRESENTERS:

Alex M. Azar II Secretary, HHS

ADM Brett P. Giroir, M.D. Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS

YOUTH PANELISTS:

Jaziah, 12 years old 7th grade, Jefferson Middle School, Washington, D.C. Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Scholar Athlete

Selena, 17 years old 12th grade, Justice High School, Falls Church, VA Culmore Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Youth of the Year 2017 & 2018, BGC of Greater Washington Youth of the Year Ambassador 2018

Rachel 10 years old 5th grade, Bailey's Upper Elementary School, Falls Church, VA Culmore BGC Participant

Blu, 11 years old 6th grade, Walker Mill Middle School Talented and Gifted Program, Washington, D.C. Nationals Youth Baseball Academy Scholar Athlete

NATIONALS YOUTH BASEBALL ACADEMY:

Chris Henderson Lead Softball & Baseball Coordinator

NATIONAL FITNESS FOUNDATION:

Clay Walker Executive Director

5 Friday, September 21, 2018

The following document contains highlights of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (PCSFN) Annual Meeting held on September 21, 2018.

Pre-Meeting Housekeeping Announcements

Lauren Darensbourg, Director, Strategic Initiatives

• Silence cell phones and refrain from flash photography during the meeting. • Social media engagement encouraged, including Twitter posts of photos and thoughts @FitnessGov. • Restrooms located in the corridor that leads to the meeting room. • Building security restrictions require attendees who leave the room during the meeting to be accompanied by a PCSFN staff escort.

Kickoff, Roster & Game Rules

Holli Richmond, Executive Director, PCSFN

• Welcomed attendees in the meeting room as well as those tuning in via live stream. • Encouraged attendees to share photos and thoughts via social media, including tweets throughout the meeting @FitnessGov. • Announced that due to limited meeting time, the Council could not take questions from the audience. Encouraged questions to be e-mailed to [email protected].

Ms. Richmond called the meeting to order and conducted roll call:

Council members present:

Mariano Rivera Herschel Walker Brenda Becker Bill Belichick (via phone) Trevor Drinkwater Dr. Robert Goldman Natalie Gulbis Dr. Nan Hayworth Matthew Hesse (via phone) Ashlee Lundvall Jake Olson (via phone) Dr. Mehmet Oz (via phone) Shauna Rohbock (via phone)

6 (via phone) Julie Teer (via phone) Christopher Tisi (via phone) Robert Wilkins Jim Worthington Linda Yaccarino

Council members absent:

Misty May-Treanor

Ms. Richmond made the following remarks:

• Welcomed Council members to their inaugural meeting. • Summarized the agenda emphasizing the positive impact sports can have in the lives of youth. • Highlighted Council members' opportunity to discuss their goal to increase access and participation in youth sports. • Noted that exciting changes to the Council's mission would be highlighted throughout the day.

Ms. Richmond introduced Alex M. Azar II, 24th HHS Secretary:

• Sworn in as HHS Secretary in January 2018.

• Leads HHS, the largest cabinet department in the federal government by spending, with a 2018 budget of $1.2 trillion. HHS is charged with enhancing and protecting the health and well-being of all Americans. HHS encompasses healthcare programs (Medicare, Medicaid), scientific institutions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration), human services programs, and preparedness and response to protect Americans from natural disasters, infectious diseases, and other threats.

• Spent his career working in healthcare. Previously served as HHS General Counsel (2001-2005) and Deputy Secretary (2005-2007). Played key roles in international affairs and global health diplomacy, implementation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, public health and emergency response efforts, food and drug regulation, and departmental management and operational transformations.

• Rejoined the private section in 2007, moving to Indiana with his wife and children.

7 HHS Address Alex M. Azar II, HHS Secretary

• Thanked all those involved in supporting the meeting. • Thanked those who have joined the Council. Commented that in the 20 years he has worked with the Council, current members are the most impressive group of sports, fitness, business, and healthcare leaders ever to serve. • Noted PCSFN's exciting new mission.

Secretary Azar then gave the following remarks:

• Since President Dwight Eisenhower established the President's Council on Youth Fitness in 1956, citizens have volunteered their time and expertise. Although the name and mission of the Council has changed over 60+ years, a constant has been the need for people to volunteer to improve the health of all Americans, especially youth.

• Through being more active and participating in sports, youth can build stronger muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness, control weight, and reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions. Playing sports can encourage positive relationships, better social interaction, improved teamwork skills, character development, more self-confidence, and reduced anxiety and depression.

HHS data have revealed several worrying trends:

• The number of young adults who experience depression or suicidal thoughts has been rising at an alarming rate over the past several years. • Suicidal thoughts are up 50% from 2008 to 2017. • There has been a steady increase in use of marijuana and other substances among teenage boys and girls.

These trends can be addressed from many angles, one is through sports participation.

While evidence shows that a majority of youth want to participate in sports, participation has declined, especially in minority populations:

• 53.2% of American youth participated in individual sports in 2011, according to the Aspen Institute. The participation rate for team sports was 41.5%. • By 2016, those participation rates had dropped to 49.8% and 36.9%, respectively. • Only 55% of females participated in a sports team or lesson versus 62% of males. • Only 34% of children with parents who had less than a high school education participated in a sports team or lesson compared with 73% of children whose parents had college degrees or higher.

8 • Only 21.6% of 6 to 19-year-old children and adolescents with disabilities met the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

Secretary Azar said the Trump administration recognizes the benefits of youth sports and physical activity in improving the overall health of the American people:

• Noted that in February 2018, President Trump issued an executive order to expand and encourage youth sports participation.

• Charged the Council to work with HHS to develop a national strategy to expand children's participation in youth sports and encourage physical activity.

• Announced that the Office of Minority Health will soon issue grant opportunities totaling $2.5 million to help communities expand opportunities for youth sports participation where none or few currently exist, particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, rural communities, young girls, and people with disabilities.

• Emphasized that the grants are one tangible expression of the President's commitment to the importance of sports and physical activity for youth. Thanked Council members for their contributions to that effort.

PCSFN Update Holli Richmond, PCSFN Executive Director

• Said she looks forward to leading the Council staff and members in creating more opportunities for youth to lead healthy and active lives through sports.

• Noted her lifetime commitment and enthusiasm for active living and her experience as a Marine.

• Said she understands how vital, yet fragile, the health of the nation can be. Told how she watched as family members developed potentially life-threatening obesity-related diseases – Type 2 diabetes, a lifetime on medications, triple bypass surgery, and gastric bypass surgery.

• Emphasized that the safety of the nation depends on men and women healthy enough to serve in the military.

• Spotlighted preventative care as the starting point to impact the nation's collective health, starting with what youth are taught about living healthier lifestyles. Noted that sports participation can lead to higher levels of self-esteem, a more positive body image, and higher states of psychological well-being. Sports can also foster positive values such as perseverance and commitment, leadership, teamwork, effective communication, problem solving, and conflict management.

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• Noted that sports participation is declining. In 2008, 45% of students between the ages of 6 and 12 participated in athletics. Now that participation is down to 37%. Girls, youth from disadvantaged communities, and youth with disabilities have the fewest opportunities to play.

First Six Months at PCSFN

• Presented the PCSFN's new mission: To increase sports participation among youth of all backgrounds and abilities, and also to promote healthy and active lifestyles for all Americans. In support of that mission, the White House hosted the first ever Sports and Fitness Day in May 2018. More than 250 kids from diverse backgrounds participated in drills for six different sports.

• Consulted with the Office on Minority Health on a $2.5 million funding opportunity to help communities create and expand opportunities for disadvantaged youth, girls, and children with disabilities to participate in sports programs.

• Strengthened PCSFN's work on the international stage through partnership with the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) to promote positive values and support good governance, integrity, and transparency in sport. Pointed out that SIGA CEO Emanuel Medeiros was in the meeting audience, along with Maggie Murphy, SIGA Director for Public Policy and Sport Integrity. On behalf of President Trump, she thanked them for their support.

• Noted that she has become familiar with the I Can Do It! customizable model that helps schools and community organizations implement inclusive health promotion programs for individuals with disabilities.

• Established new collaborations and partnerships that will be instrumental in advancing the new PCSFN mission.

• Thanked Council staff members Shannon, Joey, Lauren, Ebony, Annette, Kate, Felix, and intern Brandon and expressed amazement that such a small team can handle all of the activities the Council undertakes on a daily basis.

• Welcomed Co-chairs Mariano Rivera and Herschel Walker to the stage for a team captain huddle.

Team Captain Huddle Mariano Rivera & Herschel Walker, PCSFN Co-Chairs Moderator Holli Richmond, PCSFN Executive Director

Ms. Richmond introduced the Council Co-chairs:

10 Mariano Rivera

• Former player who played 19 seasons with the . Became the Yankees' closing in 1997. • Yankees' all-time leader in regular season saves, with 652 saves. • Five-time World Series champion. Holds the record for the lowest earned average and most post-season saves, with 42 saves. • Since retiring in 2014, has dedicated his time to philanthropic causes through the Mariano Rivera Foundation.

Herschel Walker

• Former professional football player who played 12 seasons in the NFL. Two-time Pro Bowl player. • Three-time All American in college football and track. Only player to finish in the top three in Heisman Trophy voting in all of the years he played. 1982 Heisman Trophy winner. • Helped the University of Georgia Bulldogs win a national championship. Member of the Collegiate Football Hall of Fame. One of 20 players in the history of college football to rush more than 5,000 yards, while only playing three years. • President and CEO of H. Walker Enterprises, LLC and Renaissance Food Services, LLC. • Competed on US bobsled team in 1982 Olympics.

Ms. Richmond noted that PCSFN's third Co-chair, Misty May-Treanor, could not attend the meeting.

Ms. Richmond conducted a Q&A roundtable with the Co-chairs:

Ms. Richmond: What are some of the greatest impacts that sports have had on your life?

Mr. Rivera - The opportunity to come here and play the best sport in the United States-- baseball--and be part of an organization that allowed me to play for 19 years (24 total) made me a better person, a better husband, and a better neighbor.

That challenged me to do the same with others. I always have the drive to help others. It doesn't matter what age. Because of the opportunity others gave me, I always want to give back.

Growing up, I had nothing, basically, but a heart full of dreams and desire to do something better. The Lord allowed me to come here and gave me talent to do differently. It's important to me now to have an impact.

11 Mr. Walker - I was born overweight. I used to have a speech impediment and I had very, very low self esteem. I was fortunate that my parents encouraged me to always look up.

I had a coach who would pick me up on Sunday's after church. We started working out. From working out and getting my self esteem up, I was able to overcome a lot of things. I became valedictorian of my class. I became an athlete. One of the reasons I'm so proud to be part of the President's Council is I'm trying to help kids to be active. I know the benefits. Kids being active will make America active.

People like Mariano and the other Council members know that kids who are active perform better. In my life, I've performed better at a lot of things because of athletics. I'm not trying to say all kids need to be athletes. I think all kids need to be active.

Ms. Richmond: Based on what you've seen and experienced, what are the components of sports that you wish every child could experience?

Mr. Walker - I would like to see a child be able to communicate. In sports, athletes need to communicate and get along with others. Yesterday when I visited the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, I was excited to see young men and women who looked at me and spoke to me. You don't always see that. That's what sports and activity do – give kids a chance to express themselves and get along.

That's one thing I was able to develop in myself. I came from a small town in south Georgia. I was able to travel the world and get along with someone who may speak a different language, who may be a different color, who may be totally different from me. Through activities and sports we can communicate and be on the same level.

Mr. Rivera - One of the big things is self esteem. Kids now don't want to be on the field. They want to be at home playing video games. When they do come out, they don't feel secure. They don't feel like they can do things, especially in sports. Sport creates that security – that self esteem you need to compete with others and respect others. Sport is competing, trying to do better, and winning. But at the same time, it's being able to work as a team. That's what sport offers.

Ms. Richmond: What were the barriers you faced playing sports and how did you overcome them?

Mr. Rivera - My barrier was language. Coming from a small village in Panama, I knew no English. I never left the country until I was 20 years old. I started my career in Tampa, . Most of the people there and my teammates spoke Spanish, so I was OK.

The following year I was in North Carolina, where not too many people were speaking Spanish. I used to cry because I wasn't able to communicate. You need to communicate in sport. I pushed myself to learn the language. That's what sport does. It makes you

12 better. I told my teammates, "I don't care how much you laugh at me as long as you teach me the right way." Actually, they never laughed at me and they always taught me. After I did that, my career just took off.

Ms. Richmond: What were some of the barriers you faced growing up in Panama?

Mr. Rivera - There was a lack of resources. We had to be creative. We didn't have money. My father was a fisherman. My mother stayed home and took care of the kids. I was the oldest of the three boys. Baseball was my passion. We didn't have baseball equipment. We had an old glove wrapped in tape. We got in trouble because we had to take that tape from someone. That someone was our father.

For a baseball bat, we had to climb a tree, find the straightest branch, cut it, and shape it with a machete. Actually, we had a lot of gloves because we found a lot of cardboard boxes. That was our glove. We had nothing, but we had everything.

Mr. Walker - The barrier I faced at first was low self esteem. And then, isolation. That's why the Council is so important. It will help get kids active and not isolate the athletic kid from the kid who's just active. I didn't grow up watching sports or wanting to be an athlete. That just happened to fall upon me.

Sometimes athletes don't think that education goes along with it. But I grew up in a family where education was very important. The stereotype is, if you're educated, the athlete is not going to like you and if you're into sport, the educated one is not going to like you. So I was isolated a lot. Then I learned that the two can combine. Through activities, your grade point level will rise. Now I explain that to others.

I'm not your typical sports guy. Most of my training has been done by me reading books and creating workouts. That's why my hat is off to Mario, because kids today are not active enough and creative enough. We're taking that creativity away from them by giving them so much. We've got to keep their minds moving, and activity does that.

Ms. Richmond: Based on what you've most recently witnessed, what do you foresee as the biggest barriers to youth today?

Mr. Walker - I think one of the biggest barriers to kids today is that they have to pay to play. Most parents cannot afford to pay $400-$500 a month for a kid to participate in sports. When I played on a jungle gym as I kid, I thought that was just playing. Now the jungle gym is what they're doing in American Ninja.

Kids today are not as active because of the social media world. One of the things that we put in place for my son is that for every 30 minutes he's on his iPhone or iPad, he has to do 30 minutes of physical activity. My son was an incredible track guy but he decided he wanted to do competitive cheerleading. By getting involved as a father. I discovered that competitive cheerleading was very difficult. I thought it was harder than football.

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Parents getting involved with their children is very important. But it's also important for other adults to get involved with kids. Some don't have a mother or father. I don't want to leave that kid behind. I want to be involved with him as well.

Mr. Rivera - Sometimes parents are not active enough with their child. The child goes to the field alone most of the time. Parents are sitting down in their house doing whatever they want to do while they send their kids out. You don't know whether your kid ever gets to the field.

Another problem is you have to pay to play and every field is private. There are no places where the kids can just go and play. Sometimes schools have places, but they are closed after hours.

[Mr. Walker related a story about playing in a golf tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. He observed three African American elementary school kids playing with the skill of college athletes. When he asked why they weren't playing at an elite academy, they told him they couldn't afford a coach. He put together a program to pay for their coach. He said that's the barrier kids face. They can't afford to play a sport in today's society.]

Ms. Richmond: What actions would you like to see from the Council to begin to break down these barriers and how do you see us being most effective?

Mr. Walker - Try to find things to incentivize parents and kids to get active. Find a way to make it more feasible to have areas where kids can go to exercise. We're competing against the social media world. Kids think of activity as using their avatar to exercise for them. We on the Council can't just talk our mission. We have to live it as well. We also must remember that physical activity is not the only thing. Nutrition also plays a role.

Mr. Rivera - I agree. We need to create programs where people can afford to get kids involved in sport. We need to create places where they can just come and have fun without paying anything at all. When they spend three, four, five hours playing video games in the house, it feeds into eating the wrong things.

Meet the Team Council Members

The new PCSFN members introduced themselves:

Robert Wilkins I'm living the lifestyle of the Council and what our goals and mission are. I have a son who plays travel football and basketball, has his black belt in taekwondo, plays the viola, and is also an honor roll student. A lot of his success comes from being an athlete because he has discipline, faces challenges, and wants to be challenged. He learned a lot of that on the athletic field.

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As a former member of the Air Force, I understand that mission readiness comes from being physically fit. Our country is safe because our men and women are fit. The things that we're going to do on the Council will be important to get our next military members. 70% of young men and women cannot join the military due to lack of physical fitness and obesity-related diseases. That is not acceptable. We have to find ways to get young people active and include parents, mentors, and older kids whom they look up to.

Ashlee Lundvall I live in Cody, WY. I am a motivational speaker and disability advocate. I was injured in a ranging accident when I was 16 years old and an athlete. I had to learn quickly how to adapt my life to stay independent and stay active. I was Ms. Wheelchair USA in 2013 and my platform was all about accessible outdoor recreation. I found out how important it is for people to stay active regardless of their ability level. I'm excited to bring that passion to the Council and break down barriers for children to stay active regardless of their ability level.

Dr. Robert Goldman I'm a physician and surgeon. I've been world medical chairman for the sport of bodybuilding for more than 30 years. In that time, I've overseen sport and fitness programs in more than 190 countries. I am chairman and founder of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the world's largest preventative medicine educational organization. Education is a key cornerstone of what PCSFN is involved in.

You really have an amazing group of people. Under the leadership of Holli and her team, I think the Council is going to make some significant impact. Herschel Walker was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. The organization chooses inductees who are not only remarkable athletes, but who give back. That's the key to being a great athlete. You teach your craft, share what you know, and give back. The greatest way to find yourself is in service to others, and that is why all these people are involved.

Nan Hayworth I am a board-certified ophthalmologist and served the Hudson Valley of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. I have been blessed to raise two children. It is a privilege to serve on the Council among champions.

At the Washington Nationals Baseball Academy, we met young people who are living the mission and vision of this Council with the support and mentorship of their community to enable them. That's the whole idea of the PCSFN – a sound mind in a sound body. It is a privilege to work to perpetuate the model. Let's get going.

Brenda Becker I've served and worked in the healthcare industry for more than 30 years. I currently work at Scientific. I worked previously for the Bush Administration and Blue Cross Blue Shield for 30 years. Most importantly, I am the parent of two athletes. I was

15 the coach of my daughter's basketball team. I've also served as an assistant athletic director at my children's school. What I've learned from my experience is we need to do more preventative work on the front side. It's great to save patient's lives, but they're patients. That means they're sick.

My father was a coach so I grew up in the gym. My summer vacations were football camp. I've always been active. I was on my bike this morning, working out before I got here. I'm passionate about this and excited to work with this Council.

Linda Yaccarino To be amongst this group is truly an honor. I am Chairman of Advertising at NBC Universal where I have the opportunity to work with the NFL, the NHL, the Olympics, golf, and soccer. I'm able to see firsthand the impact and inspiration that organized sport creates in our country. I see the impact it can have only if we're able to give access to every child to be able to participate in youth sport. It's what inspired me to join the Council.

I am the mother of two competitive athletes – my daughter the gymnast and a hockey player who played for my alma mater, Penn State. I've been able to see the real impact it had in maturing them as they approach their professional lives – their confidence, their self-esteem, their ability to navigate life every day.

Jim Worthington Getting on the Council is the highlight of my career. I've been in the fitness industry 40 years. I like to say that I've been on the front line working with people on Main Street. My interest in those 40 years has been to make people's lives better. The vehicle with which I've done that is the Newton Athletic Club, one of the largest health club lifestyle centers in the country, accommodating 12,000 members.

More recently, I've been honored with becoming the chairman of the largest global trade association in the world, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. There is a global obesity crisis. Our goal is to change that and get people more active, particularly youth. Exercise is medicine. Getting people active is the way to solve our healthcare crisis.

Natalie Gulbis I am a professional golfer of 18 years on the Ladies Professional Golf Association circuit. I played on a boys golf team in high school. My greatest accomplishment has been opening the Natalie Gulbis Boys and Girls Club in 2010. I've been able to see firsthand the impact that sports, fitness, and nutrition has had not only on the kids in my club, but throughout the other clubs I've been able to be involved with. I'm excited to get to work on the PCSFN national strategy and see what we'll be able to accomplish.

Trevor Drinkwater I actually started my career in 1988 selling water. After 10 years, I got into the entertainment business. I've been an entrepreneur for the last 15 years. The last five

16 years, my Inclusion Company has focused on helping companies amplify their corporate responsibility initiatives.

We have two events that we manage – a film festival that's focused on diversity and inclusion and a music festival focused on wellness, both mental and physical. I'm looking forward to bring resources together to drive the Council's initiatives forward.

Halftime: Break

Ms. Richmond introduced ADM M. Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), HHS

• 16th ASH and the HHS Secretary's principal science and health advisor. Oversees key public health offices and programs, including disease prevention and health promotion, infectious disease and vaccine policy, minority health, human subject protection, three Presidential and 11 Secretarial advisory committees, and the Office of the Surgeon General.

• Leads HHS's effort to fight America's opioid crisis.

• Previously served in numerous federal government leadership positions and in academic institutions. Most notably, he was the first physician to be appointed as an office director at the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency.

• As a pediatric critical care physician, ADM Giroir cared for critically ill children for 14 years. He continues to bring that hands-on, patient oriented perspective to his work as ASH.

ASH Address ADM Brett M. Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health, HHS

ADM Giroir made the following remarks:

• It's only been a few months since the meeting at the White House to kick off the PCSFN. It was a watershed moment, turning our nation from a sick care system to a health-promoting system. The fundamentals of everything we can do to promote health begin with exercise, fitness, and nutrition.

[Recognized Surgeon General Vice Admiral (VADM) Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H. in the audience.]

• We are both proud members of the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service. Physical fitness and mental toughness are critical to our ability to

17 promote and defend the health of our nation and around the world. Our service takes care of those who care forgot in the most austere environments. Members are serving in hurricane-ravaged portions of the Carolinas, on the U.S. border with Mexico, in Africa fighting Ebola, and many other places.

• Nothing less than the future of our nation depends on developing healthy habits. We spend nearly 18% of our gross national product on healthcare, much of it for chronic conditions preventable by the kinds of habits and activities promoted by PCSFN. Even moderate exercise – walking, gardening, housework – can dramatically lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, many cancers, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Exercise even helps you sleep better.

• Lack of exercise costs employers tens of billions of dollars in healthcare costs and threatens the nation's economic competitiveness. The Surgeon General has taken on the impact of health on the U.S. economy. Public health is a national security and economic competitiveness issue. Exercise improves worker engagement, energy, focus, mood, and innovation.

• America's national security is dependent on whether our pool of recruits is fit and healthy. All the technology in the world will not substitute for an individual American warrior. Nearly one in four young adults are not qualified for military service because they are overweight or obese. Seventy-one percent of young adults would not be able to join the military because of fitness, drug use, or lack of education.

• ASH is behind PCSFN as it develops a national youth sports strategy, something that has never before been undertaken by the Council. The Office of Minority Health grants demonstrate that the administration is serious about this.

• The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) will serve as the co-lead in developing the youth sports strategy. ODPHP works with the CDC, NIH, and PCSFN to develop and implement the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines currently recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity for adults and 60 minutes of physical activity each day for children.

• The last edition of the Guidelines was published 10 years ago. ODPHP and the Council recently completed an updated review of the science supporting physical activity. I will announce the second edition of the Guidelines in November. They will emphasize even more the critical importance of moderate activity. Only 23% of adults and 21% of adolescents meet the current Physical Activity Guidelines. That is why the Council's work is so critical.

18 Panel: Youth Voices from the Field Youth Participants and Moderator Herschel Walker, PCSFN Co-Chair

Ms. Richmond introduced the panel participants: Blu and Jaziah, scholar athletes from the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy; Selena and Rachel from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America; and moderator Herschel Walker.

Mr. Walker asked the student panelists to introduce themselves:

Rachel - 10 years old, in fifth grade, from Falls Church, VA. Selena - 17 years old, in 12th grade, from Falls Church, VA. Blu - 11 years old, in 6th grade, from Washington, DC. Jaziah - 12 years old, in 7th grade, from Washington, DC.

Mr. Walker: What sport do you play and why do you play that sport?

Rachel - I play baseball because when I got exposed to it and started to play I started to really like it. It became one of the main sports I play. It made a big impact on my life.

Selena - I play field hockey and softball. I like playing them because the people are amazing, you're exposed to so much diversity, and they're really fun sports.

Blu - I play softball because I used to watch people playing softball on TV and I wanted to be like them when I got older.

Jaziah - May favorite sports are football and baseball because they are both competitive, you get to learn life skills, and people will recognize you for playing those sports.

Mr. Walker: Jaziah has already answered my next question: Why do you like playing the sport that you play?

Rachel - It teaches me about cooperating and in school you have to cooperate a lot. You can't just judge people by how they look and how they play. They might have an advantage that can help your team. We all have our special thing. We start to feel like a family and that helps you a lot.

Mr. Walker: What are some of the things that you've learned playing the sport that you play?

Selena - I learned that communication is the big key; working as a team, not just relying on one person; motivating each other despite our flaws; and motivating each other by becoming like a family.

19 Blu - I play sports because number one, it makes me happy and number two, I'm in a whole different world. Playing sports makes me feel like I can do anything. My team – they're supporting me. The opposing team – they're not judging me.

Mr. Walker: How does your coach help support you in your sport?

Jaziah - He tells me I can do anything. Also, he makes sure that you're loving each other on the field and that you are a family. He shows me that you can be anything you want to be in life. He supports me when I'm down or when I'm sad or when I'm happy or not.

Blu - My coaches encourage me when I'm down. When I feel like I can't play softball and I'm about to cry, they say, "There's no crying in baseball." I really appreciate my coaches because they help me get back up. They encourage me by telling me all I need is more practice and I'll get better.

Selena - My coaches discipline me mentally and physically. I started playing sports last year. With field hockey there's a lot of running, so we run a mile every day. It was hard for me and my coach told me, "You're the only person stopping yourself from achieving that goal." She taught us that we have to discipline ourselves mentally and physically to never give up.

Rachel - My coach motivated me. Another coach I had was my dad. I got in the chest with a ball when I was playing baseball. My dad told me, "You can't give up. You've got to push through it." I really pushed through it and it helped me a lot.

Mr. Walker: If you guys could change anything – not just in your sport but if you could change anything in sports today – what would you change?

Jaziah - Some people get bullied because they're not good at a sport, so I would change it so that if you want to play on a team, you cannot bully people on the field or off the field and if the coach hears that, you have to be kicked off the team.

Blu - First, I would make more water breaks. Second thing, I would encourage girls to play more sports. If you're playing on a football team, all you see is boys, boys, boys. Why can't girls play football?

Selena - I agree with both of them. For football, there's a girl volunteering or trying out every year. From my experience or my friends' experience, there are a lot of people who get discouraged on the team because they're not good enough like other players and they tend to get bullied. They go through depression and anxiety and start doubting themselves. I feel like it's really important for team sports that everyone is welcome. Everyone should feel safe and accepted.

20 Mr. Walker - I do believe that girls can play football. About six years ago in Georgia, one of the best field goal kickers on a high school football team was a young lady. She ended up getting a Division 3 scholarship.

Rachel - The one thing I would change about sports is, like Blu said, girls get discouraged. Once I started playing sports, I asked my friends if they wanted to play because it made such an impact on me. Also, diversity is important. Sometimes people get discouraged because of who they are or what skin color they have. That should be changed, because you are who you are. You are unique. You can't just be put down by anybody.

Mr. Walker: What do you think adults can do to encourage more kids to participate in sports?

Jaziah - Adults should get different types of sport equipment and play with their kids – boys and girls – and see which sport they like the most. Adults should encourage kids by saying if they want to do that sport, they can do it. When some kids play sports, they don't just do it for themselves. They also do it for their parents, so the adults should encourage them.

Blu - Adults should interact with their kids instead of saying, "You're going to play this sport." They should say, "Hey, do you want to try this sport?" If the kid doesn't know what that sport is, the adult can go outside and play with the kid. If the kid likes that sport, he or she can play it.

Selena - In my school, the main sports are football, basketball, and soccer. Not a lot of people know about field hockey. Adults need to expose kids to new, different kinds of sports. I found out about field hockey at Boys and Girls Club.

Rachel - Adults should expose kids to sports. Maybe kids could also show other kids by playing a game and tell them, "Look how much fun this is. Shouldn't you try it?" Kids might say, "This is fun. I might give it a try." You have to really motivate them to get them to play sports. Sports got me out of my chair. If the Boys and Girls Club had not shown me any of these sports, I would probably be at home doing my homework and then just doing nothing.

Time Out: Physical Activity Break Blu, Jaziah, and Chris Henderson, Lead Softball and Baseball Coordinator, Nationals Youth Baseball Academy

21 Roundtable: Setting the Game Plan Council Members Moderator Shannon Feaster, PCSFN Deputy Executive Director

Ms. Feaster conducted a Q&A roundtable to collect PCSFN members' input and insights on development of the National Youth Sports Strategy. She asked the Council to consider not only how to get more kids in the game but who PCSFN needs to engage as partners to make the strategy a success. She outlined the core themes for the discussion:

• Expanding access and increasing resources. • Safe places to play. • Training and recruiting quality coaches and volunteers, including mentors. • Building real relationships with youth and families. • Protecting the safety of youth. • Communicating the benefits and impact of youth sports participation.

Ms. Feaster: How can we begin to address the significant challenges that many children face playing in their communities?

Ms. Lundvall - There is something the youth panel talked about that we somehow lose between being a young person and being an adult. That is an attitude of inclusiveness – wanting everyone to be involved. Whatever makes someone unique – children embrace that. We should help them embrace it as well.

I'm looking forward to the Council helping to get rid of the historical segregation of children who have disabilities from children who are able-bodied. That's not what the children want and that's not what's good for them, either. It's better for everyone all around when children of all ability levels are included with their peers.

At the same time, some sports lend themselves to being easily adapted while others don't. We need to be open and very creative. I live in Wyoming, so people ask me all the time how I get around in my wheelchair. I have to be very creative.

It's interesting to me that people have lost that sense of creativity. They just assume that because someone is different, we can't help them or we don't have enough funding or the right teachers or adaptive equipment. We have to be creative and the kids can help us with that. It doesn't always take a bunch of money to get something done, but you have to be open and have the attitude of being inclusive.

Ms. Yaccarino - It's important to have access to youth sports no matter what socioeconomic background you come from. I'm excited to get involved in spreading the word and activating volunteers at the community level who could also bring in local businesses to fund initiatives.

22 I was really blown away by Rachel, who in fifth grade talked about the importance of getting involved and how it affected her self esteem. The other young ladies talked about the importance – particularly as they enter adolescence – of fitness being accessible to them. That is important throughout their academic careers, through high school and college, as body image and self esteem become more and more important.

Ms. Feaster: Not everyone has the opportunity to play in safe facilities. How can the Council help level the playing field in that regard?

Dr. Hayworth - When we toured the baseball academy, our tour leader told us that one of the needs they saw was to provide fields and facilities for kids so they have a place to go. The Council has champions and role models who can shine the spotlight on the importance of high-visibility entities like professional sports teams that can help to mobilize the resources. A lot of this challenge has to do with raising awareness. The Council can raise this awareness and create coalitions.

The baseball academy provides a model that we could use to propagate this idea. The academy has community partners and goes into the schools. Across our communities, we all know of facilities that can be repurposed. We have schools in every community that have gymnasiums and fields. Can we help to increase access through community action, zoning, and local ordinances? The Council can promote and propagate the model and mobilize support.

Ms. Gulbis - We need to identify those facilities. It would be wonderful to have a facility like the baseball academy in every community, but that's not realistic. There are public schools in every community that we can identify and encourage to be opened up so kids have a safe place.

From my experience with after school programs, the challenge is transportation – getting the kids from their school to the facility. We need to bridge that gap.

Ms. Becker - Corporate America has walking trails and jogging trails and gyms and lots of property surrounding the campus. We should look at partnering with corporate America to see if it's a possible to provide a safe environment for children and youth.

Mr. Walker - Open up little spots that kids can get to. They don't have to go to the big Boys and Girls Club. They can get to little sites where kids can go and feel safe. Safe is a tough word. We're talking about kids being able to be safe being active and a person the parents trust to oversee. Someone who can lead as a mentor.

Ms. Feaster: How do we recruit, train, retain, and support quality coaches and mentors who are going to be responsible for the care, safety, and education of our youth?

Ms. Becker - We need to build a holistic culture for coaching and mentoring. It's not just about competitive sports. It's about making it fun and making it about the academics.

23 Most coaches are now volunteers. The best recruits are parents. We need to find a way to train parents to be coaches and mentors not only to their own children, but the youth they are going to coach.

Corporate America does learning development for employees. Could we do a training class for parents who want to be coaches?

Mr. Walker - You've got to train the parents first to train the kid. If you train the kid and he goes home and sees something different, it's going to be conflicting to him.

As far as mentors, I was amazed at the baseball academy how many college kids were there as mentors and coaches. Every kid looked up to them. We have to find those kind of people who have a love for what they're doing.

Mr. Rivera - I was trying to help my kid with baseball. This is how powerful coaches are: my kid told me I didn't know much about baseball but the coach knew. That's why it's so important to teach coaches to teach parents to also take that role. It will affect our kids – the way they think and the way they see the game.

Mr. Worthington - Recruitment is the key. You've got a lot of kids still playing in college or kids who played in high school and still have a love for the game. They would be where I would look to get people involved. And certainly volunteer parents, although that's where a lot of after-the-fact training has to come in for sure, particularly if they're coaching their own kids.

One untapped resource is seniors. They have the free time and the ability to get involved. If you could recruit people who still have that love for the game and get them involved, it would be a win-win for both parties.

Ms. Feaster: How does the Council build real relationships with youth and families so that trusted partnerships are established?

Mr. Wilkins - One of the keys to building that type of relationship is talking with your children. Not every child wants to be a hardcore athlete. Some kids just want to be active. My wife was a professional athlete. I played basketball throughout my military career. My son grew up with sports in his life. But we both wanted to make sure he's having fun.

We have to be sure that it's communicated that if you're good at sports, we're happy for you, but if you want to do activities other than sports, that's OK too. Fun, diversity, joy, and being part of a family are how we build this.

There are going to be superstars and there are going to be the last player, but they all participate as a team. When that championship trophy comes to the team, they all get it. Let's not put too much pressure on them. Let's make it fun. Let's make it joyful.

24 Ms. Feaster: Getting more kids to play sports clearly can impact their health in positive ways. However, along with recruiting and training qualified coaches and mentors in general who can teach the fundamentals of a particular sport, there are some serious safety concerns we need to consider. How should the development of the national strategy address the safety of youth athletes?

Mr. Worthington – Three point five million kids a year under the age of 14 are treated for sports injuries. A lot of kids under the age of 12 specialize in one sport, which puts a lot of strain on them physically. That's something we have to educate people to realize. If you're throwing a baseball every day and not trying other things, it doesn't help you over time.

Something that indirectly affects safety is the cost of participating. If you have to pay fees, then you might not be able to purchase the right equipment.

So many things go into safe sports – things like safe playing fields; proper equipment; correctly fitted equipment; proper hydration; qualified coaches who understand proper safety, coaching techniques, and the rules of the game; respect for the game (no sideline brawls); and inclusivity and the value of each athlete regardless of skill level. It starts with the parents and goes right down to the kids. If they learn that the kid who's not the best player on the team is just as important as anyone else, that stops the bullying and creates a safe environment.

Dr. Goldman listed several sport safety issues from a medical standpoint:

• Hydration is very important. With dehydration, a kid can go into electrolyte imbalance. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when a kid goes into electrolyte imbalance. • When you over-train kids, you can set them up for head injuries. • Bullying is a risk. If you have one kid on the field who's doing dangerous things, you have to catch and correct that behavior so it's not mimicked by the other kids. Real injuries occur when kids get out of control and there isn't oversight. • Joint protection is also important. Sometimes kids will show off and do crazy maneuvers. You've got to protect their joints. • Resistance training is now a basic part of training, but if you put young kids in a gym with weights, they may use too much weight. That can predispose them to growth plate injuries. • Faulty gym equipment is dangerous, as are glass or holes on the field.

It comes down to prevention to avoid injuries. Set up protocols covering hydration, equipment, how it's used, dangerous maneuvers, and prevention of bullying. All these things combined can make an enormous difference and they're not difficult to do.

Mr. Rivera - One of the problems we face is that sometimes the parents want to live their lives through the children and push kids to the limit. We see 12-year-old boys – especially – getting Tommy John surgery. We have to teach the parents to allow the kids to enjoy. Even at the professional level, we make the point that we have

25 to compete to win, but have fun doing it. These kids are missing the fun part. They compete to hurt someone else or be the best and push kids down. There are kids who can't play at the level of the others, but they are still playing. Why push them down? That issue comes from home. We need to work to make parents aware of what they're doing. Sometimes what we are creating is a monster instead of a player.

Ms. Feaster asked Council members to discuss positive skills development and the opportunity for parents, coaches, and mentors to address kids' emotional health and build self-confidence.

Mr. Wilkins - It's important for the coach to be a person that the children look up to, because the coach spends so much time with them. Coaches can be so demanding and discouraging that kids give up the sport. That's not good for the sport or the health of the country. You want a coach who understands that every kid has different needs. You want to reinforce positivity. Maybe a kid just wants to do well and be part of the team and the community.

When we promote positive coaching and positive experiences on the field, kids take those lessons into the classroom, business world, and community. People have more impact when they have self respect and self esteem. I have heard many pro athletes say they look back to their middle and high school coaches as the person who has had the most impact on them.

Ms. Gulbis - There's always the idea that the best coaches and the best athletes are pushed to the max. The best coach is the toughest – the one that breaks you down. The one that makes you so mad that you get more out of yourself.

The best athletes I've been around had coaches who believed in them. When they couldn't believe in themselves, their coach encouraged them. There is a benefit to having a coach who believes the best in you. If we can continue to encourage that message, I think we'll get more kids playing in sports.

Ms. Feaster: One area we have not touched upon in discussing the safety of youth athletes is protection against abuse – not just emotional abuse, but physical and sexual abuse. Any thoughts on how to address that in the strategy?

Ms. Becker - When I coached, you had to go through training and background checks as well as fingerprinting. We need some national guidelines for what's expected if you're going to coach.

Mr. Walker - That's the reason we give our kids the motivation to speak out. When they speak out, we have to listen.

26 Ms. Feaster: How can we best communicate the value and benefits of exposing all children to sporting opportunities?

Ms. Yaccarino - This is where I think technology can be a friend and a tool to help to spread the mission of this Council and educate the communities at large about the benefits and impact that youth fitness has on life-long health, relationships, and professional outcomes. Technology platforms can help recruit coaching and corporate partners.

Mr. Drinkwater - Media play a large role in moving this forward. You heard a youth panelist quoting a line from a 25-year-old movie – there's no crying in baseball. Media have the ability to inspire or not. Our job is to work with them to inspire young people. Media are not doing that right now. Kids see 4,000 media impressions a day, so if we can focus on those impressions to inspire kids to get outside and do things, I think that's where we're really a power.

Many large companies have strong initiatives around health and wellness. This Council can bring those companies together to harness resources, try to raise awareness, and inspire kids to get off their phones and be active. Media should be a big focus of ours.

Ms. Yaccarino - Those companies also participate in an organization called the Ad Council, which can activate donated media across the country. It's something we should investigate as well.

Mr. Drinkwater - Kids care about companies that care about them. That's a much bigger focus than it was when we were growing up. If you look at initiatives like Play 60 and NBA Cares – there are a lot of great initiatives and companies we can work with in supporting sports. There are plenty of resources there. It's just a matter of harnessing them and pointing them all in one direction.

Mr. Worthington - If we're going to do a media campaign, it's important with the age group we're talking about to determine their role models. Whom do they look up to?

Ms. Yaccarino - If you can see her or him, you can be her or him. Influencers are people who actually look like the target audience and come from their communities.

Mr. Walker - I think that comes from opening up sports. The biggest problem in sports today is if you're a football player, your whole year is football. You don't play another sport. When I was younger, I did many different sports. That's one thing we have to focus on – giving kids the opportunity to do many different things. I see kids go to a basketball camp and get divided according to how well they play. You have to mix kids because you never know. That one kid who you've said is not going to be a star grows up being an NBA star.

The way we do that is to just get a kid active. Get him off the couch and doing something. Then that kid will find out where he wants to be. It won't be put in the hands

27 of the parents. I wanted my kid to play football. But today I'm so proud of him for what he's done, I'm glad he didn't play football. It's been by his own accord, and that is what I'm happy to see. That is what we have to do as mentors and coaches.

Ms. Feaster asked Council members who have coached a youth sport or run a sport camp to share their experiences.

Mr. Worthington - The biggest coaching challenge was working with other parents. Our recreational baseball league became more competitive than the travel league. The idea of the recreational league was to give everybody a chance to play. There were four teams of kids aged 10-12. You would have thought that winning that little four-team league was winning the World Series. Parents took it way too seriously.

Very few people share the same mindset that this is all about inclusivity and getting the kids to have a great time. You lose 70% of kids in sports by age 13. There's a reason for that. It's because it's not fun. And it's not fun because of the parents. Kids are predisposed to have fun. It's the parents who make it not fun.

Dr. Goldman - One of the things I found effective when I coached wrestling is that I would get on the mat with the kids. I could teach them so much better and make them feel that we were together as a team, like a family. One of the sports that is the epitome of that is martial arts, because teaching and passing down your art is core. You find yourself by losing yourself in the service of others. Everyone is a mentor. We need to take that mindset and move it into other sports. If you make a kid feel like he is part of a family, you will be more effective.

Mr. Walker - When I created a camp, I called it fitness camp. I didn't want to call it football camp or the young ladies would have never come to the camp. It's not about the adult, it's about the kid. It's about motivating the kid to get off the couch. Kids want to be active and have fun. We have created so much technology that we have to compete against that. You have to give them an incentive to get off the couch.

My mom and dad worked extremely hard. My brothers and sisters were athletic. If we were outside playing when my parents got home from work, no matter what we were doing, they would come outside and play with us. My mother turns 80 in November. When you come to her house, it's like being at the Olympics. All my relatives are athletic. Four years ago, we were playing basketball and my mom wanted to play. I didn't pick her to play at 76 because I wanted to win. I forgot what was most important. When my mom was younger, she took the time to play with me.

When you mentor a kid, if he's not your kid, he is your kid. He may not have a mom and dad, but he's your responsibility because we don't want to lose him to something worse. That's why I'm excited to be part of the Council. At the very first meeting, I saw the energy you had.

28 Ms. Becker - When I was coaching my daughter's basketball team, my dad flew in for the weekend to see me coach and his granddaughter play. We lost. I'm really competitive, so I felt bummed while taking a couple of players home. My dad asked me what the girls were talking about in the back seat. They weren't talking about the game. He pointed out that I cared more about it than they did.

We've got to make it about the kids. When I realized I cared way more about winning than they did, it changed me. After that I was more about making it fun and participatory. It's not all about us. I learned that the hard way.

Mr. Walker - When you talk about getting kids active, it has nothing to do with sports. It has to do with getting them moving. You can call it sports, but not everyone is going to be a professional. Professional athletes are very unique people.

America is the greatest country in the world. Is it not our responsibility to continue to help our young people to be in condition so we can say we're proud of everyone?

Dr. Goldman - When I wrestled in high school, I dislocated my shoulder in training. Guess who got to become a coach? Sometimes you're thrown into it due to an odd circumstance. But if you make it about the athletes and you make it fun and friendly, you can really make a difference. All the people involved still remember my accidental coaching experience even though it was many years ago.

Ms. Lundvall - It's amazing what the coach gets out of it. You think you're going in there to help these kids and they end up blessing you and teaching you lessons. When it comes to getting quality coaches and volunteers, we need to put that message out there. Instead of a list of what they have to do, it should be a list of what they're going to get out of it. That far outweighs the responsibility they'll have.

Anyone who's been successful in life always goes back to that one person who touched their life and motivated them. A lot of times it was a coach.

Ms. Feaster opened the discussion for comments on roundtable themes.

Mr. Worthington - We haven't discussed exactly how we're going to get involvement from kids. Certainly schools are one vehicle to get kids involved early as well as community events. One that is near and dear to my heart is the public/private relationship. In my industry, there are 38,000 health clubs. If you were able to convince those clubs to open up their doors to youth for free...I do that, as well as provide a financial assistance plan so that no one is left behind. The YMCA gives free memberships to 7th grade students. Giving a kid a free one-year membership could create a life-long habit. That's just one example.

We can lean on corporate America by saying this is something that will pay off for them in the long run. Healthcare costs are strangling companies. For every $1 in spent on

29 preventative health, there's a $4 savings on the back end. It's a great investment for companies because that's their future workforce.

Ms. Lundvall - If we're really going to start to get kids active from the very beginning, we have to look at playground systems. How many playgrounds out there are all- inclusive? I challenge everyone to look up the term "all-inclusive playground." You'll be blown away by the opportunities to get kids active at a young age no matter what their ability level. Start from the playground when they're toddlers.

Mr. Walker - When my son was six, we were on a playground with a wall that we could climb. I climbed up the wall, but my son would not follow. I realized that I had not taught him to climb a tree. I climbed back down to help him. Other kids came along and I helped them too. Some of the most basic things we do – like climbing a tree – are important. Some of the basic things that we do can become exercise.

I challenge everyone: If we get active, kids get active and that's what changes things. We can get kids active using social media. We can challenge every kid in America on a Saturday to do pushups and sit ups. As long as they see somebody else doing it, they'll do it. Challenge them to show us what they can do. If they show us they did it, we can send something back to them. If you can get them to do one thing, it may lead to something else.

Mr. Rivera - We talk about sport and exercise but we also need to talk about nutrition. If you're hungry, you're not going to do a sport. You aren't going to have kids running and playing. How are you going to motivate kids to do any kind of sport if their tummy is empty? Also, our kids are getting overweight at early ages and it's increasing. Kids don't want to expose themselves on the field because they will be mocked. They'd rather be at home eating junk.

Mr. Drinkwater - There has been talk of lengthening the school year because kids only get nourished when they're in school. What are we doing in the summer when kids don't have that support?

I also don't think you can have physical health without mental health. That's an area we need to focus on and figure out how to deal with. A lot of the conversation today was about self esteem and bullying. Those are areas we need to work on. There are a lot of resources in the private community to be focused on these initiatives.

Mr. Wilkins - We have to encourage others to be sport and fitness ambassadors. For example, my wife calls our neighbors to ask if they want to take a walk. Use your Facebook page to challenge friends to exercise, then post pictures of them doing it. We can't expect the media and corporate America to do everything. We have to encourage those around us to be active in our communities and on our jobs.

30 National Fitness Foundation Update Clay Walker, Executive Director

Ms. Richmond introduced Clay Walker, the newly-selected executive director of the National Fitness Foundation. The foundation is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on health and fitness and is the official charitable organization of the PCSFN.

Clay Walker then gave the following remarks:

• Over the last eight weeks, I have become really excited about this opportunity. It's a big challenge that we all face. But sitting here today and seeing real talk about purpose gets me even more excited. Thank you all for your service, and trust me – I will call upon all of you when we're out hitting the road.

• Youth sports have been part of my life for 40 years as a participant, coach, athletic director, administrator, board member, and parent. My 18-year-old was one of only five people who lettered as seniors in three sports. He was the only one who lettered in four. Our 15-year-old qualified for the Penn Relays as a freshman. She plays soccer, lacrosse, and does track. It's a part of our family.

• The first job I had was with the NFL Players' Association. Our first spokesperson was Herschel Walker. Why did we choose Hershel? Because you cannot find someone who is more authentic, passionate, and real. Kudos to the Trump administration for choosing all of you. It's really obvious that you care.

• The foundation has already begun having conversations with universities and health clubs about using their facilities. Universities have said yes, they want to participate.

• I've had the opportunity to work in high school, college, and professional athletics. Working with PCSFN through the foundation is the most exciting opportunity I have had, because we can make a difference. Prior to this, people have talked about it. What is different about what Holli is doing is that there's an action plan behind the talk. There's a national youth strategy. This has never been done. This is our Teddy Roosevelt moment. This is our chance to say that this is such an important issue that we're going to fund programs and we're going to make sure that kids have access to sports.

• That does not happen through government alone. The purpose of the foundation is to support PCSFN youth initiatives. It cannot be done unless there are public/private partnerships. The foundation was chartered 10 years ago to raise money. Our job is to raise awareness to support you.

• Through the leadership of Holli, ADM Giroir, and Ivanka (Trump), we're happy to be supporting you financially.

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Closing Remarks & Adjourn Holli Richmond, PCSFN Executive Director

• Thanked Council members for their dedication and support for the mission. • Emphasized that it takes a team like PCSFN to create positive change. Together Council members are making significant strides to give youth the opportunities they deserve. • Pointed out that during discussions about strategies to support the Council mission, it was obvious that the team is looking forward to the journey ahead. • Thanked live and webcast audiences. Asked the public to continue to follow the Council on Twitter @FitnessGov to stay up to date on PCSFN activities. • Adjourned the meeting.

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